England Riots: One In Four Young People Believe Last Summer's Disorder Could Happen Again

03/08/2012 05:59
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Updated
03 August 2012

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PA/The Huffington Post UK

More than one in four young people believe that the riots seen last summer could be repeated this year, a survey has found.

It reveals that many youngsters say boredom, copycat behaviour, peer pressure, jealousy and fears about the future caused last year's scenes of disorder and violence, and that little has changed.

About three in ten of those questioned also said that the sentences and punishments handed out to those who took part in the riots were too soft.

The poll, commissioned by StreetChance and Barclays Spaces for Sports, asked just over 1,000 12 to 18-year-olds for their views of the riots which overshadowed the summer of 2011.

Before and after: Reeves Corner, Croydon, top, and a carpet shop in Tottenham, bottom

The findings, which come exactly a year after the violence broke out, show that more than a quarter (27.8%) believe that it could happen again this summer. Father-of-four Mr Duggan was shot by officers on 4 August 2011 after they stopped a taxi in Tottenham, north London.

Two days later, around 120 people went on a peaceful march in protest at his death, ending at Tottenham police station, before events suddenly spiralled out of control.

Just over two-fifths (43%) were not sure and the rest did not think that there will be further outbreaks of unrest.

More than half of those surveyed said that the riots happened because young people were simply copying what they saw others doing and more than a third (37.5%) said youngsters got involved so that they could boast to their friends.

A similar proportion (36.6%) thought that boredom among young people was a cause, with a fifth (20.4%) saying there was concern about the future and jealousy of other people's money and possessions.

A total of 13.8% thought that the actions of the police had led to young people rioting.

Of those that said the police were a cause, two-fifths (40.3%) said it was because the police are seen as racist by young people.

Similar proportions said that there is widespread distrust and dislike of the police by young people, and that they over-reacted to an incident.

Among those that predicted that there could be a repeat of last year's violence, the main reason given was that the chances of young people getting a job have either not improved or worsened.

About two-fifths (43.2%) said that the riots could happen again because young people are as bored, or more so, than they were last year, while 40% said relations between youngsters and the police have failed to improve.

A total of 37.9% do not believe the Government has done enough to address the needs of the younger generation, with a further 35.7% saying that the gap between rich and poor has either widened or stayed the same.

On a positive note, half (51.4%) of the young people questioned said that an increase in free sporting facilities would help to prevent a repeat of the riots.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: "Anyone who disrupts the communities and livelihoods of our citizens will face the full force of justice.

"Since last August the Government has sent the strongest possible signal that mindless criminality will not be tolerated ever. Over 1,900 people were swiftly brought to justice and the average sentence was over four times longer than usual.

"Government made millions of pounds available to councils to quickly help reopen shops and rebuild communities affected by the riots, and made sure the police continue to build positive relationships with those areas.

"We are determined to see our young people given the best start in life. We have embarked on a billion-pound apprenticeship scheme, which includes wage incentives for 'youth unemployment hotspots' - and are going into the homes of 120,000 of the nation's most troubled families to address root causes.

"At this time we must also remember the acts of selfless kindness shown by the many people who stood up and joined the 'broom brigade', which were in stark contrast to the reckless criminal minority that perpetrated this disorder."

Some of the most evocative images of last year's unrest were of historic furniture shop House of Reeves in Croydon, south London, which was razed to the ground by a massive fire, having stood on the site for more than 140 years.

Trevor Reeves, 57, was forced to watch his family business burn to the ground as firefighters were unable to tackle the blaze because the area had not been made safe by police.

"It's still pretty horrible, it's still pretty raw," he said. "We've been so busy that you don't think about it until someone asks you about it, and it's only when you start talking about it that you realise what a traumatic event it was."

Last month research by The Guardian and the LSE revealed police expect a repeat of last summer's riots and are concerned about how budget cuts will affect their ability to deal with the unrest, according to a study into the disorder.

One superintendent from Greater Manchester Police said he expected more disorder within the year.

When asked if rioting will happen again, he said: "I think if you have bad economic times, hot weather, some sort of an event that sets it off...my answer is: yes, it could.

"Because I don't think anything has changed between now and last August, and the only thing that's different is people have thought: riots are fun."

:: The Opinion Matters poll questioned 1,008 12 to 18-year-olds living in cities between July 16-23.